Big blow to Indian team as star batter ruled out of historic Lord's Test, replacement named

India has suffered a major setback ahead of the historic women's Test against England at Lord's after opening batter Pratika Rawal was ruled out of the one-off encounter due to injury. The visitors have drafted Priya Punia into the squad as her replacement for the match.

Rawal sustained a cut to her knee while representing India A against England A in Taunton last week. The injury required stitches, forcing the 25-year-old to miss what would have been India's first-ever women's Test at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground.

Head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed the development ahead of the match, with Punia earning a recall to the national setup after impressing during the India A tour of England.

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Pratika Rawal's absence comes as a major setback for India

Rawal has emerged as one of India's most reliable top-order batters since making her international debut and has quickly established herself as a key member of the batting unit across formats.

The right-hander made her Test debut earlier this year against Australia in Perth, where she announced herself with a composed half-century in the second innings. She also played an important role during India's successful ODI World Cup campaign last year, registering a century against New Zealand before an injury curtailed her tournament.

Pratika Rawal's absence leaves India with a significant void at the top of the order heading into one of the biggest occasions in women's Test cricket.

With England expected to provide stern competition in home conditions, India will now have to reshuffle their batting lineup without one of their most consistent performers.

Priya Punia earns India recall after strong India A performances

Priya Punia returns to the Indian squad after producing an impressive run with India A during the England tour. The left-handed opener finished as India's leading run-scorer in the one-day series against England A, scoring 171 runs at an average of 57, including a highest score of 87. Her performances convinced the selectors to hand her an opportunity ahead of the historic Lord's Test.

Although Punia is yet to make her Test debut, she brings valuable international experience, having represented India in 12 ODIs and three T20Is since making her debut in 2019.

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India recently endured a disappointing England tour, losing the T20I series 2-1 before crashing out in the group stage of the Women's T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur's side will now be hoping to finish the tour on a positive note as they prepare for the landmark Test at Lord's.